Betty Jean grows up

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STATE DEPABTMEXT or PUBLIC INBTEUCTIOK— STATE BOABO or HEALTH
RALEIGH, NOBTH CABOLINA
BETTY JEAN GROWS UP
A NOTE TO MOTHER AND DAD
Do you remember when you were eleven, " going on twelve"?— And
the four or five years after that? You were sure that your parents
misunderstood you. They thought you were a baby when you knew you
were really grown up.
These years from 11 or 12 to 17 or 18 are hard on boys and girls—
and on their parents.
This little booklet may make it easier for you to help your child
grow happily through those difficult years of youth.
Although the story is about Betty Jean, her brother Richard has many
of the same problems.
You were sure your parents misunderstood you—
BETTY JEAN GROWS UP
Betty Jean was eleven yesterday. At the little birthday party Mother
and Dad glanced proudly at each other as they noticed how well Betty
Jean got along with other children, both boys and girls. Sometimes as
Mother watched the children she had a feeling that she was seeing Betty
Jean as a child for the last time. " Within the next few years," she thought,
" My little girl will be growing away from childhood. She will soon be­come
a young lady."
She will soon become a young lady
Daddy remarked, " Time sure does fly. In a few more years Betty Jean
will be in high school. She will be a young lady before we know it."
Mother and Dad looked at each other.
" I guess we'd better begin to help Betty Jean so that she can enter into
the period of youth happily and without unnecessary difficulties."
They both knew that the next few years will bring about many changes
in Betty Jean's body. Already she has begun to grow more rapidly in
both height and weight. For several years she will probably be taller
and heavier than many boys of her own age. Within the next few years
her hips will broaden, and her breasts will begin to develop. Between
eleven and fifteen Betty Jean will begin to menstruate.
As her body grows rapidly, her appetite will probably amaze her par­ents.
On the other hand, she may become " finicky" and refuse to eat
certain foods.
Because her appetite has changed and because of other changes in
physical growth Betty Jean may get pimples on her skin.
Dad and Mother know that Betty Jean will be sensitive about her
awkwardness during this period of rapid growth. They and her brother
Richard must avoid laughing at Betty Jean.
Taller and heavier than
many boys her own age.
Mother and Dad plan to encourage Betty Jean to swim and dance so
that she will learn to control her body gracefully.
They will continue to help Betty Jean to develop proper habits of elimi­nation,
eating, and bathing. In this way she may escape having pimples,
or at least lessen the seriousness of them.
As Betty Jean's body takes on the appearance of young womanhood,
Mother and Dad will accept these changes. They will give Betty Jean a
greater share in selecting her clothes. They will arrange for her to have
more privacy within the home.
Years ago Mother and Dad began answering Betty Jean's questions about
sex, human growth, and family life. Now they will explain the process of
menstruation so that Betty Jean will accept these changes in her body as
easily as she accepts her increased height. Dad is going to ask the school
to show Betty Jean's class of boys and girls a film from the State Board
of Health. It is called Human Growth and shows how boys and girls
grow from birth to maturity.
In about a year or so, Mother will smile as she sees Betty Jean trying
out Mother's lipstick— just as she tried out her shoes several years ago.
Along with the physical changes, Dad and Mother know, will come
changes in Betty Jean's actions in the family and with friends. From
now on she will gradually become independent of Mother and Dad and
this will be confusing. She will still love her parents, but she will want
to be free from their control. Sometimes she may even act as if she
doesn't like Mother, but Mother will understand these struggles of grow­ing
up.
She and Dad will help Betty Jean to accept more responsibility. They
will suggest that she plan parties for her friends. They will gradually
increase her allowance. They will request her suggestions when the
house is to be painted. In many ways they will help Betty Jean to cut
loose from Mother's apron strings.
For several years Betty Jean's friends have been mainly girls. She and
some other girls have formed a little " secret society" with a password.
" Olegee" is what it sounds like to Mother, who has encouraged the gang
to meet in Betty Jean's backyard.
Within the next few years Betty Jean and her girl friends will become
interested in boys. Their interest may appear first as a dislike for " those
old boys". Between thirteen and fourteen, Betty Jean will probably be
a member of a group of boys and girls.
Mother and Dad will understand that this group activity is the way
young people develop their interests in social life. They will also under­stand
that the opinions of the group may, at times, influence Betty Jean
more than the opinions of her parents.
They will encourage the group to meet at Betty Jean's house and will
let them raid the refrigerator occasionally.
Betty Jean will gradually become interested in books and movies that
are romantic. She may spend more time daydreaming. Dad and Mother
will understand this romancing. They will encourage Betty Jean to join
the Girl Scouts, to take part in school clubs, to attend summer camp, to
develop hobbies, to swim, to go to parties, and to " have dates" with boys
as she grows older. They know that if Betty Jean has many interests
she will live in real life rather than in daydreams and imaginative
romancing.
She may become " finicky"
about certain foods.
" Those old boys"
Dad said, " I guess the best thing we can do to help Betty Jean grow
into a happy young lady is to understand her problems during the next
few years."
" We ought to talk with Betty Jean's teachers often, too. We can help
them and they can help us to guide Betty Jean from childhood into youth
and womanhood," Mother said.
Let them raid the refri­gerator
occasionally
Both Mother and Dad have found several good books to help them
understand and guide Betty Jean's growth during the coming years.
Perhaps you would like to look at some of them. They will help you
understand and guide your own Betty Jean or Richard.
Faegre. Understanding Ourselves. For Betty Jean or Richard to read. About
physical and emotional changes during adolescence. Order from University
of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota. $. 25.
Schacter. Understanding Ourselves. For Betty Jean or Richard when they
are about 13- 16. About personality development. Good for Mother and Dad,
too. Order from: New York Committee on Mental Hygiene, 105 E. 22nd
Street, New York 10, New York. $. 60.
Thorn. Guiding the Adolescent. Many suggestions for Mother and Dad. Order
from: Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office,
Washington 25, D. C. $. 20.
Wolf. When Fifteen and Fifty Disagree. Order from Child Study Association
of America, 221 W. 57th Street, New York 19, New York. $. 10.
Betty Jean Grows Up and Betty Jean Is Ready for School ( for parents of pre­school
children) may be purchased at cost from the School- Health Coordinat­ing
Service, Box 2091, Raleigh, N. C.
,10 Per Single Copy
, 0 5 For 20 or Mora

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STATE DEPABTMEXT or PUBLIC INBTEUCTIOK— STATE BOABO or HEALTH
RALEIGH, NOBTH CABOLINA
BETTY JEAN GROWS UP
A NOTE TO MOTHER AND DAD
Do you remember when you were eleven, " going on twelve"?— And
the four or five years after that? You were sure that your parents
misunderstood you. They thought you were a baby when you knew you
were really grown up.
These years from 11 or 12 to 17 or 18 are hard on boys and girls—
and on their parents.
This little booklet may make it easier for you to help your child
grow happily through those difficult years of youth.
Although the story is about Betty Jean, her brother Richard has many
of the same problems.
You were sure your parents misunderstood you—
BETTY JEAN GROWS UP
Betty Jean was eleven yesterday. At the little birthday party Mother
and Dad glanced proudly at each other as they noticed how well Betty
Jean got along with other children, both boys and girls. Sometimes as
Mother watched the children she had a feeling that she was seeing Betty
Jean as a child for the last time. " Within the next few years," she thought,
" My little girl will be growing away from childhood. She will soon be­come
a young lady."
She will soon become a young lady
Daddy remarked, " Time sure does fly. In a few more years Betty Jean
will be in high school. She will be a young lady before we know it."
Mother and Dad looked at each other.
" I guess we'd better begin to help Betty Jean so that she can enter into
the period of youth happily and without unnecessary difficulties."
They both knew that the next few years will bring about many changes
in Betty Jean's body. Already she has begun to grow more rapidly in
both height and weight. For several years she will probably be taller
and heavier than many boys of her own age. Within the next few years
her hips will broaden, and her breasts will begin to develop. Between
eleven and fifteen Betty Jean will begin to menstruate.
As her body grows rapidly, her appetite will probably amaze her par­ents.
On the other hand, she may become " finicky" and refuse to eat
certain foods.
Because her appetite has changed and because of other changes in
physical growth Betty Jean may get pimples on her skin.
Dad and Mother know that Betty Jean will be sensitive about her
awkwardness during this period of rapid growth. They and her brother
Richard must avoid laughing at Betty Jean.
Taller and heavier than
many boys her own age.
Mother and Dad plan to encourage Betty Jean to swim and dance so
that she will learn to control her body gracefully.
They will continue to help Betty Jean to develop proper habits of elimi­nation,
eating, and bathing. In this way she may escape having pimples,
or at least lessen the seriousness of them.
As Betty Jean's body takes on the appearance of young womanhood,
Mother and Dad will accept these changes. They will give Betty Jean a
greater share in selecting her clothes. They will arrange for her to have
more privacy within the home.
Years ago Mother and Dad began answering Betty Jean's questions about
sex, human growth, and family life. Now they will explain the process of
menstruation so that Betty Jean will accept these changes in her body as
easily as she accepts her increased height. Dad is going to ask the school
to show Betty Jean's class of boys and girls a film from the State Board
of Health. It is called Human Growth and shows how boys and girls
grow from birth to maturity.
In about a year or so, Mother will smile as she sees Betty Jean trying
out Mother's lipstick— just as she tried out her shoes several years ago.
Along with the physical changes, Dad and Mother know, will come
changes in Betty Jean's actions in the family and with friends. From
now on she will gradually become independent of Mother and Dad and
this will be confusing. She will still love her parents, but she will want
to be free from their control. Sometimes she may even act as if she
doesn't like Mother, but Mother will understand these struggles of grow­ing
up.
She and Dad will help Betty Jean to accept more responsibility. They
will suggest that she plan parties for her friends. They will gradually
increase her allowance. They will request her suggestions when the
house is to be painted. In many ways they will help Betty Jean to cut
loose from Mother's apron strings.
For several years Betty Jean's friends have been mainly girls. She and
some other girls have formed a little " secret society" with a password.
" Olegee" is what it sounds like to Mother, who has encouraged the gang
to meet in Betty Jean's backyard.
Within the next few years Betty Jean and her girl friends will become
interested in boys. Their interest may appear first as a dislike for " those
old boys". Between thirteen and fourteen, Betty Jean will probably be
a member of a group of boys and girls.
Mother and Dad will understand that this group activity is the way
young people develop their interests in social life. They will also under­stand
that the opinions of the group may, at times, influence Betty Jean
more than the opinions of her parents.
They will encourage the group to meet at Betty Jean's house and will
let them raid the refrigerator occasionally.
Betty Jean will gradually become interested in books and movies that
are romantic. She may spend more time daydreaming. Dad and Mother
will understand this romancing. They will encourage Betty Jean to join
the Girl Scouts, to take part in school clubs, to attend summer camp, to
develop hobbies, to swim, to go to parties, and to " have dates" with boys
as she grows older. They know that if Betty Jean has many interests
she will live in real life rather than in daydreams and imaginative
romancing.
She may become " finicky"
about certain foods.
" Those old boys"
Dad said, " I guess the best thing we can do to help Betty Jean grow
into a happy young lady is to understand her problems during the next
few years."
" We ought to talk with Betty Jean's teachers often, too. We can help
them and they can help us to guide Betty Jean from childhood into youth
and womanhood," Mother said.
Let them raid the refri­gerator
occasionally
Both Mother and Dad have found several good books to help them
understand and guide Betty Jean's growth during the coming years.
Perhaps you would like to look at some of them. They will help you
understand and guide your own Betty Jean or Richard.
Faegre. Understanding Ourselves. For Betty Jean or Richard to read. About
physical and emotional changes during adolescence. Order from University
of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota. $. 25.
Schacter. Understanding Ourselves. For Betty Jean or Richard when they
are about 13- 16. About personality development. Good for Mother and Dad,
too. Order from: New York Committee on Mental Hygiene, 105 E. 22nd
Street, New York 10, New York. $. 60.
Thorn. Guiding the Adolescent. Many suggestions for Mother and Dad. Order
from: Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office,
Washington 25, D. C. $. 20.
Wolf. When Fifteen and Fifty Disagree. Order from Child Study Association
of America, 221 W. 57th Street, New York 19, New York. $. 10.
Betty Jean Grows Up and Betty Jean Is Ready for School ( for parents of pre­school
children) may be purchased at cost from the School- Health Coordinat­ing
Service, Box 2091, Raleigh, N. C.
,10 Per Single Copy
, 0 5 For 20 or Mora